


A Surprise Meeting

by Claradala26



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-25 10:33:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17119703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Claradala26/pseuds/Claradala26
Summary: "Ling knew Lan Fan would more than take care of any intruders. So really, if Ling hadn’t completely lost his touch, the knock could only belong to one person."Emperor Ling gets an unexpected guest while working.





	A Surprise Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for formerunicorn on tumblr for the 2018 Fullmetal Alchemist secret santa! I really hope you and everyone else will enjoy this.

Ling could stare himself blind at the pile of papers overflowing his desk. One would think being the Emperor of Xing would save him from such trivial tasks, but that was far from the case. Everything seemed to be in need of his attention, every little detail about the nation eventually found its way to his already cramped workspace. He knew it was for a good cause. The more he saw, the more time he could dedicate to aiding his people, the closer to his ideal of the perfect Emperor he would come. Someone who truly existed solely for those who needed him. 

That being said, Ling could not help but to feel that his current situation was incredibly boring. Technically he had nothing to complain about. His life was comfortable and there was nothing that he truly missed, as a matter of fact he was probably the most pampered man in all of Xing! Although it was not the kind of life he was used to. While the attempts on his life hadn’t gotten fewer, he no longer had to fight tooth and nail to get by like he had in the past. No longer was there a philosopher’s stone to cross the desert for, the days of being possessed by a surprisingly well meaning homunculus belonged to the past. The only evil Ling had to fight these days came in the shape of corrupt, immoral government officials, seeking only power for themselves. It was almost laughable to think about what his life had come to. 

Ling sighed, looking up from his papers for the first time in what felt like hours. He got up from his desk to stretch, reaching his hands far above his head, raising onto his tiptoes, feeling every ache and hearing every crack of his joints. It made him frown. Lan Fan was right in their subtle remarks, he truly was wasting away at his chair. He made up vague plans in his head about asking them for a sparring match, though he already knew that such an event might take days, if not weeks to arrange. It truly was awful, he thought mournfully, that he, the Emperor, couldn’t take an afternoon off to see his best friend. 

A loud, resounding knock broke him out of his musings with quite the effect. Ling yelped, nearly losing the fragile balance he’d maintained for a while now. Thankfully, all those times spent perched on windowsills and branches hadn’t been for nothing. As soon as he’d lost it he regained his balance, head whipping around to stare at the door. It was rare that he’d get visitors while working, he’d made sure that no one were to disturb him unless they came to see him for some important reason. Like the kitchen being on fire, that was a perfectly valid reason to come see him! Yet no servant would dare to knock so boldly. All the same it couldn’t be a complete stranger, if they’d made it this far. Ling knew Lan Fan would more than take care of any intruders. So really, if Ling hadn’t completely lost his touch, the knock could only belong to one person. However any wonderings he had about where that person technically was supposed to be stopped as a familiar voice called out to him:

“Hey bitch prince, are you dead in there or what?” 

Ling wanted to smile, he wanted to grin and dance around the room in happiness, but that wouldn’t make their game much fun. Carefully schooling his expression into a neutral mask Ling opened the door to come face to face with one smug looking Edward Elric. 

“You do know that I could have you beheaded for such insolence, right?” Ling asked, only to find himself with an armful of a travelling bag looking ready to burst as the former state alchemist shoved past him into the room. 

“Yeah yeah, it’s great to see you too.” 

The bastard had the nerve to plop down in his chair, carelessly putting his legs over all the papers that Ling had spent hours looking over. However hard he tried he couldn’t find it in him to be mad about it, it was too much of a relief to see Edward after so long apart. If Ling had obligations to his people, Ed’s obligations remained much the same as they had been when he’d first met him. He lived for his brother, for himself and with the hopes that his actions would somehow help the rest of the world. Although while Ling often found himself tied down and restricted by his duties, Edward now lived in what could only be described as complete freedom. Ling didn’t remember him as sorrowful, but it was obvious that the heavy burden that was his past had lessened since him and Alphonse had gotten their bodies back. 

“You kinda look like shit. I get that you barely had to take a shit while Greed was there, but you’re just human now. Shouldn’t you be taking better care of yourself?” Edward asked. While the remark was rude, Ling recognized the concern laced into those words. Shaking his head Ling went over to the desk, placing a stack of paper on the floor before moving to sit on it. 

“So crude! You’re one to talk about looks, you’re just as tiny and filthy as ever.” Ling shot back with a smile, avoiding the sudden swing at his head with ease. This was good, familiar. He’d missed this. 

“Sorry!”, Ling grinned, not really meaning it at all and judging by the look on Edward’s face, he knew this too. “It’s lovely to see you, don’t be too shocked now but I’ve missed you a lot. It’s lonely without you by my side. No one really causes any trouble.” Quickly he leaned down to kiss Edward on the head, prompting a surprised chuckle from his boyfriend. 

“You talk so much shit,” Edward declared, grinning back up at Ling. “If you live in a ‘trouble free place’, then Al might as well still be a walking suit of armor. Come on, I bet you’ve still been causing shit for the stuck up idi-” 

Ling, knowing very well that his boyfriend would take any chance to curse out the “high nobles” serving him, decided to take a quick course of action. Improvisation was kind of his forte, after all. Closing the short distance between them by leaning over Ling promptly pressed his lips against Edward’s, effectively shutting him up with a kiss. He could feel Edward’s grumble of disapproval, but it quickly disappeared as two strong arms wrapped around his frame, pulling him closer as their kiss deepened. Edward’s lips were rough and chapped, his unshaven chin tickled against Ling’s the closer their faces pressed together and he could see new lines on the other man’s face as they broke apart, studying each other in silence with small smiles. In that moment Ling doubted any other man could feel as lucky as he did right there and then. 

“Let’s not talk about boring things like work and my health, I haven’t seen you in months! Besides, I’m starving…” Ling’s stomach groaned helpfully to further make his point, prompting an eye roll from Edward. Had it been any other couple the moment would have been considered ruined, but not for them. The banter and teasing would always be there, cherished by them both as much as the tender moments.

“And I suppose you’re gonna insist it’s my treat?” Edward drawled, one of his eyebrows raised so high it nearly met his hairline. Ling nodded vigorously. “You bastard!” Edward exclaimed in exasperation, throwing his hands up. “You’re the one who’s literally the ruler of one of the biggest countries in the world! Why don’t you take some tax money to treat me for once?!” 

“That would be terribly immoral!” Ling gasped in mock disapproval. “Besides, if you play nice and treat me like a good, nice boyfriend should you might get another kiss for your trouble.” 

A quick glance at Edward’s face was all Ling needed to tell he’d won. The great Edward Elric had resigned to his fate, but Ling’s trained eye could tell that he was fighting a smile. This was exactly what he had needed, Ling decided. A nice evening off with his boyfriend visiting from his travels far and wide, where they both could forget about their duties for a while as they turned all their attention to what was the most important thing in the world: them.


End file.
